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Democrats Score Key Victories in Texas Special Elections Amidst Federal Funding Standoff
Democrats secured significant political wins in Texas special elections on Saturday, while a partial government shutdown deepened in Washington, D.C. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries announced that Democrats would not expedite the passage of the Senate-passed funding package, signaling a prolonged shutdown, according to ABC News.
In Texas, Democrat Christian Menefee won a U.S. House seat in a special election, narrowing the Republican's already-slim majority. Menefee, the Harris County attorney, defeated Amanda Edwards, a former Houston City Council member, to replace the late Rep. Sylvester Turner, who died in March 2025, CBS News reported. Menefee told President Trump that the Democratic district "topples corrupt presidencies."
Adding to the Democratic success, Taylor Rehmet, a union president in Fort Worth, defeated Republican Leigh Wambsganss for the open Texas Senate District 9 seat in Tarrant County. According to CBS News, Rehmet captured 54,267 votes (approximately 57%) to Wambsganss' 40,598 votes (roughly 43%) with 100% of the vote counted. Tarrant County is considered the largest Republican county in the nation.
DNC Chair Ken Martin stated, "It's clear as day that this disastrous Republican agenda is hurting working families in Texas and across the country, which is why voters in red, blue, and purple districts are putting their faith in candidates like Taylor Rehmet. This victory is a warning sign to Republicans across the country..."
Meanwhile, in Washington, the partial government shutdown continued. ABC News reported that the Senate voted on Friday to separate out extended funding for the Department of Homeland Security after reaching a deal.
In other news, Groundhog Day is approaching. Punxsutawney Phil is set to make his annual prediction on Monday, February 2, 2026. Last year, Phil predicted six more weeks of winter, but the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that his forecast was incorrect, with near-average temperatures in February 2025 and above-average temperatures in March 2025 in the contiguous U.S., according to CBS News.
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio this past week. In an interview with CBS News' "Face the Nation," Machado discussed U.S. policy toward Venezuela. Rubio stated that the U.S. does not intend to have any military action or presence inside Venezuela, except for maybe at a reopened embassy there. The interview was conducted on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, and aired on Feb. 1, 2026.
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